Thursday, March 21, 2013 – 9:00 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.   

General Session

PANEL: The Future of Housing Policy
The Bipartisan Policy Center’s (BPC) Housing Commission aims to reform the nation’s housing policy by crafting a package of realistic and actionable policy recommendations that respond to both the near-term and long-term challenges facing the housing sector.  After more than a year of work, the Commission released the much-anticipated recommendations in February 2013.  The opening general session will feature a lively discussion among three of commissioners about their recommendations and what they mean for the future of housing policy in the United States.

Speaker Biographies

Patrick L. Phillips, ULI – Urban Land Institute
Patrick L. Phillips is the Chief Executive Officer of the Urban Land Institute. Established in 1936, ULI is a global nonprofit research and education organization with nearly 30,000 members representing all aspects of land use and development disciplines. Its mission is to provide leadership in the responsible use of land and in creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide.

Since taking the chief executive position in 2009, Phillips has overseen an expansion of ULI’s global reach, particularly throughout Asia, guiding the Institute’s focus on creating thriving communities in rapidly urbanizing countries. Under his leadership, ULI’s program of work has grown steadily to encompass a variety of economic, demographic, societal and environmental issues that are reshaping urban development worldwide in the 21st century. To reinforce ULI’s delivery of high-quality services for members around the globe, Phillips guided the restructuring of ULI’s district and national council system and he worked with ULI’s volunteer leadership to overhaul ULI’s governance.

Phillips has a career in the economic analysis of real estate and land use that spans more than 20 years. Prior to his service at ULI, he was President and Chief Executive Officer of ERA AECOM (formerly Economics Research Associates). In that regard, he coordinated all aspects of ERA’s organization, strategy, business development, and service delivery. His own consulting practice focused specifically on the intersection of private investment and public policy. Phillips is a frequent speaker on urban development issues and is the author or co-author of eight books and numerous articles.

Michael Pitchford, Community Preservation and Development Corporation
Mike Pitchford is president and CEO of Community Development and Preservation Corporation (CPDC), responsible for the overall strategic direction and management of the real estate development and resident service programs of CPDC’s affordable housing communities. Founded in 1989, CPDC works to expand the supply of affordable housing in the mid-Atlantic region, has completed more than 4,300 units of housing in 24 multi-family properties.

Previously, Mr. Pitchford led the Community Development Equity Group at Bank of America Corporation in Charlotte, NC. The Group developed or rehabilitated 23,000 units of affordable housing and increased equity commitments 3,000% during his ten years leading the organization. Mr. Pitchford also has participated in or led associations, workshops, conferences, and forums on policy, networking, and the sharing of best practices.

Mr. Pitchford earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Old Dominion University. He has served in leadership roles with the National Equity Fund, the Urban Land Institute, the Washington Area Housing Partnership, the District of Columbia, Northern Virginia, and Maryland Building Industry Associations, and the Old Dominion University Board of Visitors. He is a member of the Urban Land Institute and serves on the board of the National Equity Fund, the National Housing Conference, and the Center for Housing Policy. He is the immediate past chairman of the Affordable Housing Council of ULI and was a past chairman of the National Housing Conference.

Shelley Poticha, HUD’s Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities
Ms. Poticha serves as Director of the Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).  A well respected expert in growth management and urban policy, Poticha is responsible for advancing housing and communities that promote affordable, livable and sustainable living environments.  She also provides technical and policy support for energy, green building, and integrated housing and transportation programs at HUD and around the nation.  Poticha leads HUD’s interagency efforts with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Transportation to help improve access to affordable housing, more transportation options, and lower transportation costs while protecting the environment in communities nationwide.

Poticha previously served as President and CEO of Reconnecting America, where she became a national leader for the reform of land use and transportation planning and policy with the goal of creating more sustainable and equitable development and served as founding co-chair of the Transportation for America Campaign.  Prior to joining Reconnecting America, Poticha was the Executive Director of the Congress for the New Urbanism.  In this role, she guided the organization’s growth into a national coalition with a prominent voice in national debates on urban revitalization, growth policy, and sprawl.  She also launched a number of key initiatives addressing inter-city revitalization, mixed-income housing, infill development techniques, environmental preservation, alternative transportation policies, and real estate finance reform.

Poticha holds a Master of City Planning from the University of California at Berkeley and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Panel Speaker Biographies:

Alazne (Ali) Gandarias-Solis, Enterprise Community Partners (moderator)
Ali Gandarias-Solis is Senior Vice President and Public Policy and Corporate Affairs Executive for Enterprise Community Partners, Inc. Ali is known for leveraging public and private partnerships to provide capital and resources for the development of affordable housing and sustainable communities. Her experience leading national campaigns, and capability as a political strategist, has gained national attention leading to public speaking engagements within academia that include Harvard, American, and Tulane universities.

A large part of Ali’s outreach efforts involve testifying before Congress on housing, banking and legislative issues. Her expertise has been instrumental in advancing a wide range of public policy priorities, including preserving $40 Billion for community development programs and securing $7 Billion in Congressional appropriations to stabilize communities overwhelmed by the housing foreclosure crisis.

In addition to her career at Enterprise, Ali currently serves on the Boards of various national non-profit organizations, including the Urban Land Institute’s Terwilliger Center for Housing, the Montgomery Housing Partnership, and AmericaSpeaks. 

Renee Glover, Atlanta Housing Authority
Renée Lewis Glover joined the Atlanta Housing Authority (AHA) as CEO in September 1994. Since that time, she has been widely acknowledged for her business leadership and strategic approach to community redevelopment.

Renée has received numerous recognitions over the years. In 2011, Renee received the Legacy Award from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Atlanta and the Big Voice for Children Award from Voices for Georgia’s Children. In 2010, Glover was named by Georgia Trend magazine as one of Georgia’s 2010 Power Women. In October 2009, she was inducted by Affordable Housing Finance magazine into the Affordable Housing Hall of Fame. She was presented with the 2009 Urban Innovator Award from the Manhattan Institute Center for Civic Innovation. On December 17, 2005, the “Masked” Award was presented to Ms. Glover by the United Negro College Fund, Inc. and the African Heritage Foundation, in appreciation for her support of UNCF and the 22nd Anniversary Mayor’s Masked Ball. She was named Public Official of the Year 2002 by Governing Magazine.

Renée serves on the Board of Directors of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta and Habitat for Humanity International. Renee is currently serving as a member of the Bipartisan Policy Center Housing Commission.

Prior to joining the Atlanta Housing Authority, Glover was a corporate finance attorney in Atlanta and New York City. She received her Juris Doctorate from Boston University, her Master’s degree from Yale University and her Bachelor of Arts from Fisk University.

J. Ronald Terwilliger
J. Ronald Terwilliger is chairman emeritus of Trammell Crow Residential, which he joined in 1979. Trammell Crow Residential is a national residential real estate company and was the largest developer of multifamily housing in the United States during Ron’s tenure as CEO. He is past chairman of the Urban Land Institute and remains a trustee. Additionally, he is chairman emeritus of the Wharton Real Estate Center, past chairman of the Atlanta Neighborhood Development Partnership, and chairman of the board of directors for the I Have a Dream Foundation. Ron is the immediate past chairman of the international board of directors of Habitat for Humanity, is an ex-officio member of the board and chairs Habitat’s $4 billion Global Capital Campaign.

An honor graduate of the United States Naval Academy, Ron served five years in the Navy. He received his M.B.A. degree with High Distinction from the Harvard Graduate School of Business, where he was elected a Baker Scholar. Ron is a past chairman of the National Association of Home Builders Multifamily Leadership Board.

Philanthropically, Ron made a $5 million gift to establish the ULI Terwilliger Center for Housing in 2007 and where he serves as chairman of the Center’s National Advisory Board. Ron is chairman of the Enterprise Community Partners Board of Trustees and vice chairman of the Enterprise Community Investment Board of Directors. His $5 million gift to Enterprise to create the Enterprise Terwilliger Fund is expected to create 2,000 affordable homes annually. Ron also serves as chairman of the board for Habitat for Humanity International where his $100 million legacy gift will help 60,000 families access improved housing conditions.

Ron has been recognized with the ULI Atlanta Community Achievement Award and the ORT Award, bestowed for his support and efforts to improve the world through his good deeds. He received the Hearthstone Builder Humanity Award in 2006 for his commitment to housing-related charities, and in 2008 was elected to the National Association of Home Builders Hall of Fame in recognition of his efforts to advance housing opportunities for all Americans.

In 2009, Ron was honored by the National Housing Conference with the Person of the Year Award for his commitment and contributions to the affordable housing community. In addition, he has been honored by the United States Naval Academy with a 2009 Distinguished Graduate Award for his lifetime commitment to service, personal character and distinguished contributions to our nation. In 2012, Ron was honored with the National Patriotism Award by the National Foundation of Patriotism.

Barry Zigas, Consumer Federation of America
Barry Zigas became Director of Housing for Consumer Federation of America in 2008.  He is responsible for CFA’s policies on housing and mortgage finance including secondary market systems, foreclosure and loan modification policies, and community reinvestment issues.  He also consults with housing and community development nonprofits and foundations on strategy, innovation and leadership through his firm Zigas and Associates LLC.

Zigas was Senior Vice President at Fannie Mae from 1995-2006, where he led the company’s single family community lending initiatives, as well as corporate and regulatory reporting on the company’s housing goals, investments in CDFIs, and support for homeownership counseling and education.  He joined Fannie Mae in 1993 as Vice President for Housing Impact.

Zigas served as President of the National Low Income Housing Coalition from 1984-1993, where he led the efforts to create the Low Income Housing Tax Credit, the  HOME program and expanded responsibilities for community lending at Fannie and Freddie, and as Associate Executive Director and other staff positions at the US Conference of Mayors from 1976-1984.  He is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Grinnell College, from which he also received an Alumni Award in 2012, and a 1997 graduate of the Wharton School’s Advanced Management Program.

Zigas serves as Chairman of the Board of Mercy Housing, Inc, and as a Director of the Low Income Investment Fund (LIIF), National Housing Conference, and the Avalon Theater Project, a neighborhood-supported nonprofit movie theater in Washington, DC.  He was appointed to the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Housing Commission in December, 2011, and previously served on the Rouse-Maxwell Task Force and the Mitchell-Danforth Task Force in the 1980’s.  He is an active participant in the Mortgage Finance Working Group sponsored by the Center for American Progress, as well as the foreclosure working group of Americans for Financial Reform (AFR).  His articles and commentary have appeared in American Prospect, American Banker, Washingtonian, and other publications, and he is frequently quoted in print and electronic media.